a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integrated system for detecting and removing undesired debris from the interior of an enclosed structure such as an aircraft wing after it has been manufactured but before it is placed in service.
b. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, elongated optical devices have been developed which are capable of transmitting visual images to a remote observer. These devices are used to transmit images of objects near the distant end of the device to an observer at the near end of the device. This permits the observer to perform a visual inspection of remote objects within the field of view of the far end of the device. The original devices were used to inspect the bores of guns, hence the name borescopes. Other common names applied to such devices are endoscopes and intrascopes. Presently borescopes are used to facilitate inspection of a large variety of objects located in remote, inaccessible or hazardous areas. Thus, they are used in such diverse applications as the inspection of turbine engines, human bodies, and nuclear reactors.
The first borescopes were essentially elongated tubular microscopes which employed a series of lenses to convey an image of an object in the field of view of a field lens at a remote end of the tube to an objective lens at the observer's end of the tube. Usually, means were also provided to illuminate the field of view of the borescope, as for example by a small lamp located near the remote end of the tube.
Modern borescopes oftentimes utilize flexible fiber optic cables rather than lenses. The fiber optic cables contain parallel bundles of fine transparent fibers, and transmit to one end of the cable an image of the area within the field of view of the opposite end of the cable.
Most fiber optic borescopes have a flexible protective sheath covering the entire length of the cable. Typically, the sheath is made of a durable, abrasive resistant material such as a woven metal. Also, most fiber optic borescopes include within the sheath a second fiber optic cable which is illuminated by a bright light source at the observer's end. The second cable transmits light to the remote end of the cable, which then illuminates the field of view of the imaging fiber optic cable.
A relatively recent improvement in fiber optic borescopes permits the observer at the viewing end of the borescope to remotely manipulate the distant end of the cable to position the axis of the imaging fiber optic cable at a desired orientation, thereby bringing into its field of view a desired area of interest. These remotely manipulatable fiber optic borescopes are referred to as articulated, articulating or articulateable borescopes. By applying tension to one or more flexible wires strung through the protective sheath and attached to a pivotable member near the remote end or head of the cable, the head may be tilted at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the cable. Such borescopes can have either one or two planes of articulation. The latter type permits aiming the head of the borescope to any point in a forward directed hemisphere (or larger portion of a sphere) centered around the head end of the cable.
Typical of the prior art disclosing such elongated inspection systems are U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,501 to Ginsburgh et al. and No. 4,530,568 to Haduch et al. which are particularly adept at gaining entry to inaccessible regions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,168 to Oku discloses such a device which includes a television monitor for viewing, from a remote location, the progress being made by the endoscope. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,608 to Mitsui, an endoscope is disclosed for insertion into a body cavity. The endoscope is provided with forceps to excise body tissue for subsequent inspection and with a suction conduit for removal of the body tissue for the inspection procedure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,405 to Leckrone discloses an angioplasty catheter provided with a laser for vaporizing undesired material and a blade for excising undesired material and a suction duct for removal of the vaporized or excised material. U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,276 to Krawiec et al. discloses apparatus for locating and removing debris or foreign material located in the bladed region of a turbomachine.
It was with recognition of the prior art as described above that the present invention was conceived and has now been reduced to practice.